Component for producing a sectional door panel, shell for such a component, reinforcement strut for such a component, sectional door panel having such a component, and sectional door having a corresponding sectional door panel

Abstract

A structural element for the fabrication of a panel of a sectional door, which is movable between a closed and an open position along a predetermined pathway. The sectional door possesses a shell, generally of metal, having two mutually parallel sides, bent back on themselves, thus essentially creating structural elements aligned somewhat perpendicularly to the predetermined pathway. When in the closed position, the shell is characterized by forming an outer door surface which is external to the space to be closed, and forming an internal door surface opposed thereto.

1. Structural element for making a door leaf of a sectional door, which is movable along a predetermined path between a closed and an open setting, with a shell having two edge portions that run essentially perpendicular to the predetermined path and parallel to each other and that are folded back on themselves to form predetermined side structures, the shell having an outer surface that constitutes an exterior surface of the door leaf facing away from an interior space to be closed off in a closed setting and an inner surface opposite to the outer surface, wherein at least one side structure of the shell has a fastening area provided for attachment of at least one hinge for connecting structural elements arranged successively in a moving direction of the door leaf, wherein the fastening area of the shell has at least one positioning aid configured as a profiling extending perpendicular to the outer surface for a reinforcement strut, wherein the structural element further includes said reinforcement strut configured as an end cap spanning an edge at an end face of the shell, wherein said end cap extends roughly perpendicular to the side structures and has an engaging structure lying against a boundary surface of the fastening area and configured complementary to the profiling of the positioning aid, wherein the end cap has an outer leg with an outer fastening surface adjacent to the outer surface and an inner fastening surface at a distance from the outer fastening surface in a lengthwise direction of the at least one side structure and adjacent to the inner surface of the shell, and wherein the outer leg has a clamping tongue bounded by a slot and able to be bent into an interior of the end cap for pressing the outer surface of the shell against the outer fastening surface. 
     
     
       2. Structural element according to  claim 1 , wherein the shell is a metal shell. 
     
     
       3. Structural element according to  claim 1 , wherein the positioning aid is a circular dimple. 
     
     
       4. Structural element according to  claim 1 , wherein the slot is U-shaped. 
     
     
       5. Structural element according to  claim 1 , wherein a layer of adhesive is applied to the inner fastening surface in order to produce a material connection between the inner fastening surface and the inner surface of the shell. 
     
     
       6. Structural element according to  claim 1 , wherein the positioning aid has at least one group of two, three or more profile elements situated alongside each other in the lengthwise dimension of the side structure, wherein the profile elements are coordinated with a group, a hinge or a reinforcement strut. 
     
     
       7. Structural element according to  claim 1 , wherein at least two profile elements of a group have roughly the same configuration in a cross sectional plane perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the side structure. 
     
     
       8. Structural element according to  claim 6 , wherein at least two profile elements of a group have different profile depths or diameters in a cross sectional plane perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the side structure. 
     
     
       9. Structural element according to  claim 6 , wherein the profile elements of one group are arranged in the lengthwise direction of the side structure within a length range of 80 mm or less. 
     
     
       10. Structural element according to  claim 6 , wherein at least one side structure has two, three or more groups of profile elements situated alongside each other in the lengthwise direction of the side structure, wherein individual profile elements of groups situated alongside each other are situated at a distance of 200 mm or more from each other. 
     
     
       11. Structural element according to  claim 6 , wherein profile elements of identical cross sectional form within different groups have same spacings in the lengthwise direction of the side structure from each other. 
     
     
       12. Structural element according to  claim 1 , wherein the fastening area passes at the edge into a stabilization area, roughly perpendicular to the outer surface, extending parallel to the side structure and starting from the fastening area moving toward the inner surface, the stabilization area being folded back on itself relative to a bending line running parallel to the lengthwise direction of the side structure, wherein the bending line runs at a distance of 15 mm or more from the inner surface of the shell. 
     
     
       13. Structural element according to  claim 1 , wherein the engaging structure has at least one recess at least partly occupied by a profile element in an installed state or a profile element at least partly contained in at least one profile element of the fastening area. 
     
     
       14. Structural element according to  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement strut has at least one fastening area adjoining the inner or outer surface of the shell that is joined by a material connection to the inner and outer surface. 
     
     
       15. Structural element according to  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement strut is U-shaped, with two outer legs and a connection leg joining the outer legs to each other, wherein the engaging structure is made on and at least one fastening surface is made on an edge area of an outer leg facing away from the connection leg and extending roughly parallel to the connection leg. 
     
     
       16. Structural element according to  claim 15 , wherein a fastening area is formed on each outer leg, wherein the at least one fastening surface is bent to protrude into the inner space of the reinforcement strut formed between the outer legs. 
     
     
       17. Structural element according to  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement strut has a fixation area formed between two parallel running slot-like recesses in at least one outer leg for the fixation of an insulation element lying against the inner surface of the shell and the outer leg. 
     
     
       18. Structural element according to  claim 2 , wherein at least one end face of the reinforcement strut has a clamping area, whose distance from the connection leg in a direction running perpendicular to the connection leg roughly corresponds to a width of the stabilization area in this direction, wherein the stabilization area is arranged between the clamping area and the connection leg. 
     
     
       19. Structural element according to  claim 18 , wherein at least one clamping area of the reinforcement strut is coordinated with a guide area, along which the stabilization area is guided along the inner surface of the shell when installing the reinforcement strut before it locks between the connection leg and the clamping area. 
     
     
       20. Structural element according to  claim 19 , wherein the guide area has a ramp area rising up from an edge region lying between the edge of the outer leg facing away from the connection leg and the clamping area in the direction of the clamping area. 
     
     
       21. Structural element according to  claim 19 , wherein the guide area has at least one tongue bent outward from one outer leg and bent back on itself in the direction of the outer leg. 
     
     
       22. Structural element according to  claim 4 , wherein a connection line between ends of the U-shaped slot makes an acute angle with a normal to a surface on the outer fastening surface or the outer surface of the shell. 
     
     
       23. Structural element according to  claim 1 , further comprising an insulator arrangement adjacent to the inner surface of the shell, the insulator arrangement engaging at least partly with at least one side structure, and being made of Styrofoam or polyurethane (PU). 
     
     
       24. Structural element according to  claim 23 , wherein the insulator arrangement has at least two insulating elements separated from each other along a plane of separation running parallel to the side structures. 
     
     
       25. Structural element according to  claim 24 , wherein at least one insulator element has an edge region reaching under a stabilization area and accommodated at least partly in a side structure. 
     
     
       26. Structural element according to  claim 23 , further comprising a cover device covering a boundary surface of the insulator arrangement facing away from the inner surface of the outer shell. 
     
     
       27. Structural element according to  claim 26 , wherein the cover device has a cover area running roughly parallel to the inner surface of the outer shell and at least one edge area running parallel to a stabilization area of the shell and adjacent to the stabilization area. 
     
     
       28. Structural element according to  claim 1 , further comprising a reinforcement arrangement adjacent to the boundary surface of the fastening area, facing the inner surface of the shell and held by the positioning aid in a predetermined position relative to the fastening area. 
     
     
       29. Structural element according to  claim 28 , wherein the reinforcement arrangement has two, three or more reinforcement elements arranged alongside each other with a spacing in the lengthwise direction of the at least one side structure, wherein each of the reinforcement elements is coordinated with a group of profile elements. 
     
     
       30. Structural element according to  claim 29 , wherein at least one reinforcement element has two, three or more recesses to receive screws serving for the fastening of hinge flaps, of which at least one receives, at least partly, a profile element of the positioning arrangement. 
     
     
       31. Structural element according to  claim 28 , wherein the reinforcement arrangement has a groove accommodating a stabilization area of the shell and an edge area of a cover device. 
     
     
       32. Structural element according to  claim 1 , wherein a ratio of a length of the shell in the lengthwise direction of the at least one side structure to a height of the shell in the moving direction of the door leaf is 15 or less. 
     
     
       33. Structural element according to  claim 1 , wherein the structural element is part of a sectional door leaf. 
     
     
       34. Structural element according to  claim 33 , wherein the sectional door leaf is configured to interact with a guide rail arrangement with two parallel guide rails, each of which comprises a first straight segment to accommodate the sectional door leaf in a closed setting, a second straight segment to accommodate the sectional door leaf in an open setting, and an arc-shaped segment that joins the straight segments to each other. 
     
     
       35. Structural element according to  claim 9 , wherein the profile elements of one group are arranged in the lengthwise direction of the side structure within a length range of 40 mm. 
     
     
       36. Structural element according to  claim 10 , wherein individual profile elements of groups situated alongside each other are situated at a distance of 600 mm or more from each other. 
     
     
       37. Structural element according to  claim 12 , wherein the bending line runs at a distance of 25 mm or more from the inner surface of the shell. 
     
     
       38. Structural element according to  claim 13 , wherein the engaging structure is in the form of a dimple with the at least one recess passing through the dimple. 
     
     
       39. Structural element according to  claim 14 , wherein the at least one fastening area is joined by glue to the inner and outer surface. 
     
     
       40. Structural element according to  claim 32 , wherein the ratio is 10 or less.